Hedgehog Mystery Zone: Explorers of Chaos
by EchidnaMadness
Summary: Shadow wakes up a beach, memory-less and confused. Will joining an exploration team with Sonic trigger any memories? And who would be insane enough to start stealing the chaos emeralds from their rightful place? [Alternate Universe, based on Pkm MD Explorers of Time/Darkness]


**Basically, this story is PMD, Explores of Darkness/Time, mobianized. Before you say LAME! and leave, at least read the first chapter! You don't need to play pokemon to get it. I know it's not the most original thing in the world, but I've had writer's block for ages and am just trying to get back into the flow of writing with something I enjoy. Besides, I'm gonna try and throw in twists/change parts to my liking, so even if you have played the games it isn't completely predictable. Also, I'm gonna use Archie Comic characters at times to avoid fancharacters, but the games characters will be favoured.**

_Out of all the cheesy lines to start a story with, 'It was a dark and stormy night...' was probably in the top five. So it was lucky that didn't describe the current scene at all. It wasn't dark, so much as there being a total absence of light: pitch black, without the faintest hint of light. 'Stormy' didn't really suit either, a better description would have been a turbulent tempest, the sort that made you feel it was the end of the world, that could shatter mountains, move continents, and then get to the real trouble._

_Suddenly, it was as if a waterfall had been switched on. Bucket-sized drops of water and icy cold hailstones hammered down, as a blinding, scorching lightning-bolt finally provided the first glimpse of light, but was gone before anything could be seen. It definitely wasn't the kind of weather anyone sensible would go out in, and yet two mobians were flying through it, caught in what seemed to be a sideways cyclone._

_"W-we're almost there! Just a bit longer, hang on!" One of the mobians shouted at the top of his voice, barely being heard above the sound of what seemed to be the sky splitting open._

_"I'm slipping!"_

_"Don't you dare let go!"_

_"He's got me!" A hand had grabbed one of mobian's foot, a death-grip._

_"Kick him!"_

_"I-I...AHH!" Another strike of light flew across the sky, blistering it, as one mobian was swept away from the other._

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"C'mon. C'mon dude, just do it. It won't kill ya." A blue hedgehog was mumbling to himself, pacing backwards and forwards on a hill. On a whim he took out a rock, his personal treasure. It seemed like a ordinary, flat one, until you noticed the depiction of a diamond shaped gemstone on it... possibly an emerald. Putting it away with a sudden determination, Sonic stepped forward towards a small building, in the shape of a green duck's head.

"Mobian detected! Mobian detected! Which mobian?" With a start, Sonic darted away so quickly that all the guard mobian saw was a blue blur darting into the distance.

"I thought I could do it this time...What sort of hero would I be anyway, if I can't even make myself enter the guild!" Sonic snorted, stopping at a small beach. For as long as he could remember, he'd wanted to be a hero: to help people, explore. But what sort of hero couldn't even join a heroes guild?! Sure, he'd rescue'd Cream's chao from that tree - _great_ heroic dead _there_ Sonic thought sarcastically - and helped people out around Station Square, but-

His grumpy metal-monologue was interrupted by the sight of a dark shape, lying in the sand.

"Hey!" Literally as fast as it took to say that 'hey' Sonic was there, kneeling beside the figure. "Are you alright, uh, hedgehog?"

"Urgh." It was a sound rather than a word, as the hedgehog slowly sat up, bringing his tattered gloved hands to rub at its face.

"Are you alright?" He repeated. Drunk, maybe. Or hungover. The other squinted open bright ruby-coloured eyes to stare at him. "Uh... I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog! I don't think I've seen you around Station Square before. What're ya called?"

The black and red-striped hedgehog seemed to panic for a second, before gaining his composure, his face strangely blank. "Shadow... Why is it so bright? What happened to..." Shadow glanced next to him, then frowned as he noticed there was nothing but empty space. There was a speck of confusion in his eyes, as if he had lost something but wasn't sure what.

"Nice t' meet ya! And that brightness? That's the sun dude." Maybe he had a concussion. "Are you injured?"

"The sun?" Genuine confusion was clear in Shadow's eyes. "Of course. But why would you care if I was hurt?" The black hedgehog's head was rather blurry, but he was sure that complete strangers didn't feel concern for other strangers.

"Why wouldn't I care? Where are ya staying? I'll help you back there." The dark hedgehog's face was blank as ever at that, but Sonic kept up his friendly grin. It was then that loud footsteps were heard behind them. Turning around, both hedgehogs saw two birds approaching.

"Oh, did dorky make a friend?" A green hawk squawked. Sonic let out a grunt as a gray albatross pushed him as he was distracted, falling backwards and his treasure rock falling on to the ground in front of him.

"Ooh, what's this?" Jet leaned forward and picked it up, examining it.

"Give it back Jet! That's my treasure!" Sonic demanded.

"Treasure huh? Figures a dork like you would consider a rock a treasure," Jet teased. Idly he wondered if it had any real value. Possibly, but in any case he was more concerned in upsetting the hedgehog. "Come and get it if you want it."

Sonic hesitated. Jet let out a squawk of laughter, walking past him into Beach Cave's entrance. "Ha! He isn't worth our time, Storm."

~!~!~!~!~

"That stone...it seemed important to you."

As the birds had left Sonic clenched his fists, watching them dejectedly. Noticing Shadow's gaze on him he said a little defensively: "It's just a rock, really. I mean, I'd go and get it off that bully, but..." Sonic blinked. He had only known this hedgehog five minutes, and he must already be thought of as a coward! No, Sonic decided, even if he was no hero in his own eyes, that didn't mean he couldn't be a hero in other's. "Would you come with me? ... That way there'd be two of us and two of them - fair."

Well, Sonic had been genuinely concerned about him before. Something that for some reason struck Shadow as odd. But maybe if he helped this blue guy out, Sonic would help him find whatever it was Shadow was looking for. Because even if he wasn't sure about anything else, Shadow was sure he'd been looking for something...some_one_ maybe. He just wasn't sure what. "Alright."

~!~!~!~!~

The cave, or indeed Mystery Zone, as Sonic had explained it was, was nothing like was Shadow had expected. For one thing, the mobians.

"Ya see Shads-" For some reason the nickname made Shadow look down at his single bracelet on one forearm. Odd, hadn't there been two? And that nickname: he was sure it wasn't Sonic who was the first to use it. Realizing he had been ignoring Sonic he started listening again. "-so basically it's the chaos energy. Something weird's been going on lately or something. Dunno what exactly, don't think anyone does really. Whatever it is, this is what happens to the weak-willed mobians - regression."

'Regressed' mobians weren't just thugs or crooks. They seemed to have no control over their urges, mostly fighting between themselves and stealing from and attacking travelers. They didn't seem inclined to talk, and if you looked closely you could see their teeth were slightly sharper than norm, their fingernails like claws. It was these mobians the hedgehog pair had been fighting to get through the dungeon, mostly weak ones luckily. Something about it disturbed Shadow, reminded him of something else, but just as he felt he was about to realize what he'd forgotten, his thoughts were interrupted.

"Huh, look who's back. Come to cry until I give your stupid rock back?" A sneering, cracked voice said. After a few moment's silence he added. "What's the matter? Scared? I can see you shaking in your shoes"

"No. Give it back," Sonic said, his voice surprising even. He'd actually made it through the dungeon, through _regressed _mobians, after that Jet would a piece of cake. Seeing Shadow waiting to see what he would do, ignoring his shaking legs, Sonic charged.

~!~!~!~!~

"Haha! That was awesome: am I right or am I right?" Sonic cheered. They were back on the beach. "We made quite a team, huh? You make a habit of doing that? A-are you already in an exploration team?"

Shadow was surprised even if he didn't show it. Well, it had seemed all too easy fighting those mobians... Was Sonic right? Had he done that before? Hesitantly he told Sonic that he wasn't sure, that he didn't even know who he was.

Sonic had wanted to ask more along the lines of exploration teams, but he shoved that aside mentally. This guy's memory was more important. After all, what else did a hero do than help people? This could be his first real mission! "Huh. Tough fix you're in. Don't worry though, I'll take you around town - I'm sure someone knows you!"

**A/N: I'd really appreciate people's opinion - not only on the story, but on my writing style! Also, before anyone gets mad saying: "Oh! But you made Sonic a stuttery scaredy-cat!" consider this: character development. I promise you, he'll end up the cocky hero we all know and love.**


End file.
